Fearful and Wonderful
Psalm 139:14 “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
Go ahead and read the verse above again. I’ll wait while you do…
Great verse, right? So encouraging! If you have ever been to a women’s retreat, conference, Bible study, or even just to church, you have most likely heard this verse. I know I have. I have even shared it with others on many occasions.
When this verse is shared, it is often in the context of self-image. We use it to help us feel better about our bodies - about how we were made. We use it to encourage others, that we each are exactly how God created us to be - no matter our shape, size, or condition.
But in my recent studies, I have come to a revelation about this verse. To be honest, its somewhat mind-blowing to me, because I have never seen it in this light before. But it is oh so exciting. The revelation is this: the verse is not about me.
It’s about God.
Yes, we ARE fearfully and wonderfully made. But we are made that way because God - who created us - is fearful and wonderful. He is marvellous. His works are marvellous. Everything He does is marvellous.
This verse is there to shout out the greatness of God, not make us feel better about ourselves. And because of this, we should be in complete amazement at that greatness! Just take a minute and read the whole Psalm 139. Do you see it? Do you see how this entire Psalm is screaming the goodness and the greatness of God?
Do you see how David, the author of this Psalm, is declaring how wonderful and fearful He is? Do you see how he shows that God is all-knowing, eternal, ever-present, and in control? Do you see how it’s very clear that God knows us - He knows our heart even better than we know ourselves?
And now when I read Psalm 139:14, I don’t see it as a verse to make me feel better about the fact that my legs stopped working and I am now in a wheelchair. I don’t see it as a way to make me feel okay with the fact that I have freckles or long skinny fingers or super straight hair and a not-so-flat tummy (or any of the other insecurities I may have about my appearance).
Now I see it as a verse proclaiming just how amazing God is. The God who created me and loves me. And it is that SAME GOD who has told me:
When I am overwhelmed - “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
When I feel broken - “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
When I feel no one understands - “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15
When I am disheartened over circumstances - “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33
When I think I have been forgotten or am alone - “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
This list could go on and on! You see, this same God - the One who fearfully and wonderfully made me, is always right here for me, in whatever circumstance, situation, problem, hurt, emotion, or issue I might have. This same God has told me I can come to Him with any of the things that trouble me or weigh me down, and He is here to help me (“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”Hebrews 4:16 ).
Okay. Now, go read the verse at the beginning one more time, but this time, read it from the perspective that it is talking about God and not us. I’ll wait again while you read.
Are you left in absolute amazement like I am? Do you find this verse even more encouraging than before!
True, Psalm 139:14 can be used to remind us that we were all created just the way that God wanted us to be - even our “flaws” as we see them. But, when digging deeper, we can see it is SO MUCH MORE than that. It is a verse declaring the wonderful greatness of God.
And to that, we should be responding by going about our day saying, “I will PRAISE THEE; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…”